The Russian Made Antonov AN-225 Cargo Plane is the Largest in the World
For Americans, bigger is always better. We invented the skyscraper, built the Hoover Dam, and put a man on the moon in pursuit of doing it bigger, better, faster and further. And this applies to aviation too. The first airplane flew in the United States thanks to the genius of the Wright Brothers. The fastest aircraft in the world flew over American skies due to American engineering. It’s poetic, it’s awe-inspiring, and it makes our hearts burst with patriotic joy . . .
. . . wait. Hold that thought. I’ve just received word that the largest aircraft in the world is . . . Russian. What? Can that be right?
Sadly, America, it is. Our largest military aircraft is the the C-5 Galaxy. While we have more than enough to be proud of as the defining force in aviation engineering, it turns out that the largest aircraft in the world is the Antonov AN-225. Nearly as long as a football field, this Soviet-era design was originally used to transport spacecraft and components. So it turns out that there’s one important record America doesn’t hold. I’d feel sad about that, but then I remember that there’s no Russian flag on the moon . . .